Chapter 29: Ebb-tide
"Do you want to come to the beach with us?"
Kuroo stopped, taken aback by the request.
"What?"
"Do you want to come?" Sugawara repeated.
"Uh, when?"
"This weekend! You can come with your boyfriends if you want! Come on, almost everyone is coming! I just couldn't reach Chris."
Seeing that his boyfriends hadn't noticed he had stopped, Kuroo had to start walking again to keep up with them.
"He went back to his family for the holidays. Where do you want to go?"
"Shichigahama."
"Where's that?"
"Miyagi."
Kuroo stopped again. He managed to catch Bokuto's attention and signaled for him to wait. He stepped aside.
"But that's super far!"
"No!"
"Isn't it like, five hours away?"
"Yes."
Kuroo didn't know what to say to that.
"Daichi's parents own a resort there."
"Uh, OK, but..."
"Come on ! Everyone's coming."
Kōtaro joined him.
"Who's that?" he asked.
"Suga."
"What does he want?"
"He's asking if we want to come to the beach with them... But like, in Miyagi. Sawamura's parents own a resort there."
"Awesome!" Bokuto replied without a hint of hesitation. "Wait, I'll ask Keiji and Kenma if they can come."
He sprinted off and returned a few seconds later, out of breath.
"They said Ok!"
Well, seems like they were going to Shichigahama then.
-/-
They met two days later at dawn in the university parking lot. Eyes were still sleepy, but the excitement was already palpable. After a brief chat to get organized and distribute the coolers, they were ready to go.
"We still have one spot left," Kenma announced after quickly counting the number of people.
Yamaguchi raised his hand with the same intensity as if he had just volunteered as a tribute for the Hunger Games. No one was fooled; his enthusiasm was not hard to guess. He nudged Tsukishima to prevent him from taking his place and rushed in their direction. Once there, he offered them a huge smile and placed his backpack in the trunk.
"Kenma drives and you won't sit in the front," Kuroo whispered to him.
Yamaguchi pouted. "Kuroo, I came for you, you know, you're my friend and I..."
"Cut the crap. I know why you're here," the brunet interrupted.
The younger one rolled his eyes but said nothing and sat diligently in the middle back seat. After that, they finally set off.
The journey went smoothly, at least for Kuroo. Bokuto, Yamaguchi, and himself formed a terrible trio, and they spent the four and a half hours of the journey spouting nonsense and playing ridiculous made-up games.
When they arrived, they briefly met Sawamura's parents: a charming couple in their sixties who welcomed them with enthusiasm and kindness. They accompanied them to a wooden cabin nestled in a wooded area, barely five minutes from the beach. Once the keys were retrieved, they waved to goodbye to the older couple.
"Tada!" Sugawara announced as they arrived on the landing.
The place was charming, the outside had a large table, and inside was a small kitchen and two bathrooms. They finally arrived in a large, empty room with about ten folded futons in one corner.
"Are we all sleeping here?" Kuroo asked.
"There's another room next door, but yes. Sorry I didn't mention, hard to find a seven-bedroom villa you know." Sugawara replied.
"Cool!" Bokuto exclaimed, rushing inside. "It's like middle school! I've already found my spot," he declared, planting himself in a corner of the room.
Kuroo seemed much less enthusiastic.
"Does it bother you?" Sugawara asked, concerned.
"No, not me, I'm just not sure if Kenma will..."
"I've already booked a room," the blond announced without looking up from his phone. "Sorry, Sugawara, thank you for your invitation." He bowed to thank him.
"No problem," Sugawara replied with a benevolent smile. "Sorry for not mentioning it."
"No worries. The hotel is just a few minutes from here. Keiji, you're coming with me, these idiots won't let me in alone."
"Okay," the brunet replied behind him.
Kenma looked up at them.
"Do you want to come?"
"No, I'll stay here," Kōtarō said, already choosing his futon.
"I'll stay too," Kuroo declared.
"Okay, let's go to drop off our stuff, we'll join you later, see you in a bit."
And with that, they left.
-/-
After the chaotic commotion of their arrival, they managed to organize themselves to settle in properly. They decided to head straight to the beach; they would surely find something to eat there.
"Come on, let's move!" Tsukishima grumbled.
"We're waiting for Oikawa," his mate replied.
"What the fuck is he doing?"
"I'm coming!"
Kuroo turned his eyes and stifled a chuckle at the sight of his friend's outfit. Don't get him wrong, it was fantastic, as usual. But the brunet didn't think his diva attitude could go to such a length. Oikawa had just appeared, dressed in some kind of white poncho, a wide straw hat, and huge sunglasses. All he was missing was the Chihuahua, and he almost looked like an American billionaire housewife getting ready to go to her private beach in Miami. Oikawa lowered his sunglasses.
"You've got a problem?" he challenged when he saw Kuroo's gaze on him.
"No," his smile widened, "I adore you."
"That's more like it," the chestnut-haired replied, adjusting his sunglasses.
They arrived at the beach just a few minutes later. The place had already been invaded by hordes of families with screaming children, but their enthusiasm was such that they didn't even notice. They crossed the beach and found a fairly clear spot where they could all settle in. While most of them had simply laid a towel on the sand, like honest people they were, Oikawa had brought his outdoor furniture: he lounged on a folding chair set up in the shade of a bubblegum pink sun umbrella. Cherry on the top, he was glaring at a group of children playing in the water while sipping an unidentified beverage in what seemed to be a champagne glass.
Kuroo approached him, an amused smile playing on his lips.
"I see you're well settled."
The man glanced at him but didn't bother to reply.
"What are you drinking?"
"Orange juice."
"In a champagne glass?"
"It was all I had."
"You only had a champagne glass?" the brunet insisted.
"Yes. And it's more elegant."
Kuroo chuckled.
"Where's Iwaizumi?"
Oikawa nonchalantly pointed in a direction. When he turned, Kuroo did indeed find Iwaizumi chatting with Sawamura.
"He prefers to sit on the ground, right in the sun."
Kuroo frowned.
"Did you fight?"
His intervention deeply confused his interlocutor.
"No, why?"
"Just checking."
"Babe!" he heard behind him.
He turned, Kōtarō was waving frantically as he ran towards them.
"Come on, let's go into the water!" he shouted as he reached them.
"Okay, but wait, I haven't put on sunscreen yet."
"Oh yeah, me neither, wait."
He dashed off again.
"Get out of here, it's my spot," Oikawa grumbled.
"Oh, come on, you can..."
"Hey, Oikawa, I love your poncho!" Bokuto came back, sunscreen in hand.
The compliment caught the diva off guard.
"Thank you."
"Seriously, you look nice like that. Do you mind if we sit here for a while?"
"No, not at all."
Kuroo was left breathless: Kōtarō's seduction skills were truly impressive... He eventually let out a smirk that his friend couldn't help but notice. He rolled his eyes but made no further comment.
Kuroo applied sunscreen on his body and helped Bokuto apply some on his back. His boyfriend returned the favor, but despite his good intentions, the experience felt more like a very abrasive scrub as Bokuto kept dropping the tube in the sand and getting half the beach on Kuroo's back in the process.
"Come on!"
Bokuto grabbed him by the arm and ran towards the water. When they reached the edge, Kuroo tried to get him to let go; he didn't want to plunge directly into the water without getting used to the temperature first. But Bokuto didn't relent and kept moving forward. The brunet tried to stop him again and pulled even harder. The force he exerted caused Kuroo to stumble forward, and they both ended up completely submerged.
"Oh, damn it, Ko..."
Bokuto burst out laughing, which was enough to lighten Kuroo's mood.
"Come on, let's go further," he declared before starting to swim.
Kuroo quickly realized he had no say in the matter and followed him.
They stopped a few meters away, the water now reached them up to their upper backs. Bokuto smiled at him, put an arm around his waist, and pulled him closer. Before he could do anything else, he stopped him:
"Babe, I love you, but there are people around."
Bokuto rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. The sheepish air he displayed quickly turned into a mischievous one. Before Tetsurō could react, his boyfriend swiftly swept his legs and pushed his chest to make him fall backward. Kuroo found himself underwater before he could even fight back. Bokuto dove in with him and grabbed his face to kiss him. Kuroo smiled and returned his kiss.
"Sneaky bastard," the brunet said once they resurfaced.
His counterpart just smiled, pleased with his trick.
"We should have waited on the beach; I don't know how Kenma and Keiji will find us."
"Mmm, don't worry, babe, they'll find us. Plus, Kenma has Yamaguchi's number."
"Ok… But Yamaguchi is here" observed Kuroo, pointing his finger at his friend, trying to sink his mate.
"Oh," Kōtarō simply replied, "they'll find us. Look, they're there," he continued, pointing at the beach.
Turning around, Kuroo could indeed make out the silhouettes of his other two lovers. Without further ado, he headed back to the shore to meet them.
"Did you find us easily?"
"Yes," Kenma replied without going into details.
He planted the umbrella he had in his hand in the sand.
"We brought that with us?" asked the brunet.
"No, I bought it."
"Oh... It's huge!"
The umbrella was indeed pretty huge. Enough to shade five overheated alligators.
"So we can all sit under it."
"Oh, that's awesome!" exclaimed Bokuto, who had just joined them.
They helped set up their little camp and settled in. Their shaded spot quickly sparked envy among their peers, and soon they found themselves almost crowded under the umbrella. But no one seemed bothered by it; Kenma was in the company of his beloved redhead and his mate, Akaashi was chatting with Sawamura and Sugawara, and Kuroo and Bokuto had teamed up against Tsukishima to make his life miserable.
"Guys!" they heard Yamaguchi shout.
Everyone turned to him, who had just appeared with Nishinoya and Tanaka by his side.
"We found a volleyball net!" he shouted once he had caught his breath. "Come on, let's play! It's been so long!"
"I'm in," Bokuto replied enthusiastically.
"We don't have a ball," Sugawara pointed out.
"Yes, we do!" Nishinoya replied proudly, brandishing the ball like a trophy.
"Okay, I'm on too," Sugawara finally agreed.
"Kenma?" Kuroo asked, turning to the blond.
The latter grimaced, evidently not very enthusiastic. Just as he was about to reply, Hinata signed something to him. That was enough to convince him, and he nodded before getting up. He really couldn't refuse anything to the redhead.
"Keiji?" Kuroo asked, turning to the interested party.
"I would rather not participate," he replied. "I injured myself a few years ago."
"Me too," Sawamura intervened, "but we can referee," he suggested.
Akaashi nodded.
"I'll ask Oikawa," Kuroo announced.
"I'll come with you."
At first, Kageyama's intervention surprised the brunet, but he simply nodded, and they left together.
"Yo, Oikawa, we're having a volleyball game, do you want to join?" Tetsurō proposed once they arrived.
The diva raised an eyebrow.
"No."
"Oh come on!"
"Coward."
Kuroo turned to Kageyama, surprised by the intensity of his intervention.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Coward" he repeated.
Oikawa sighed. He got up, took off his sunglasses, removed his poncho, and locked eyes with Kageyama.
"I'm going to crush you," he growled.
The response, or rather the threat, seemed to delight the younger one, who flashed a smile bordering on madness. Oh... He wasn't aware that these two had... this kind of relationship... Rivalry? Delightful... What exactly had he gotten himself into?
They joined the rest of the group and headed towards the improvised volleyball field.
"How many of us are playing?"
"Twelve."
"Isn't beach volleyball usually played two against two?" Tsukishima remarked.
Everyone fell silent, thrown off by the comment.
"Who cares, we'll play six against six."
That seemed to satisfy everyone.
They began to split into teams, trying to accommodate the positions where they felt most comfortable, which proved rather complicated given the astronomical number of setters trying to assert their position.
"Wait, we need to be smart about that, it shouldn't be too unbalanced," Tsukishima remarked.
Which was relevant considering the differences in height that could exist, and...
"What do you mean?" Nishinoya didn't seem to appreciate what the blond had just insinuated. Kuroo was under the impression that it wasn't related to height.
"Well, we're not going to put all the alphas together and..."
"Oh, okay, that's how it is," Nishinoya cut him off, "you're underestimating us, is that it?"
"Not at all, I'm just saying that based on biology we..."
"Oh shut the fuck up Tsukki !" his mate interrupted.
"What? I'm just saying that..."
"Okay, alphas against omegas," Nishinoya interjected. "We're going to crush you!"
Tsukishima maintained his gaze.
"You won't be able to say we didn't warn you."
"You're going down."
"Um..." Kuroo intervened, "where do we go?" he asked, pointing to Tanaka, Iwaizumi, and himself.
"We'll take the betas," Nishinoya asserted while maintaining eye contact with his opponent.
"Okay."
"Well, no, not okay, there are too many of us," Azumane interjected.
"We keep Iwa-chan!" Oikawa hastily decided.
The concerned one sighed but still joined his mate.
"Are we really doing this?" Sugawara asked.
Kageyama shrugged and joined the rest of the alphas.
"I wanted to be with Shoyo," Kenma grumbled.
"I wanted to bash your annoying face," Oikawa muttered to Kageyama.
"Oh, what a pity," the latter replied.
They took their positions. On one side, the omega team, consisting of Kenma, Bokuto, Kuroo at the front, Nishinoya, Azumane, and Tanaka at the back. On the opposite side of the net, was the alpha team, with Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima, Oikawa, Yamaguchi, and Iwaizumi.
The alpha team started the game. They were delayed by Yamaguchi and Tsukishima, who were still arguing, but each went to one end of the field, and the match finally began. Kuroo stood ready, already analyzing his opponent's formation, hoping his old reflexes would soon kick in. Yamaguchi took the first serve. The brunet tried to calculate the trajectory, which seemed to be... Tsukishima's head.
"Tadashi! Stop that! That doesn't count!" Oikawa complained.
"And why is that?"
"He did it on purpose! We're not going to be penalized for their bullshit!"
"Okay, okay, I'll start over," Yamaguchi said.
This time he served intending to get the ball to the other side of the net. However, not everything went as smoothly as Kuroo had anticipated: firstly, the ball's trajectory was completely altered by the first gust of wind, secondly, he had completely underestimated the resistance of the sand, and he fell at the first quick movement he attempted. He wasn't the only one; he saw Bokuto to his left end up on his butt, and half of the opposing team also slipped and ended up headfirst in the sand. Fortunately for them, the ball's trajectory was so altered that it ended up outside the bounds of the field.
"Um... The point goes to the omega team," announced Sawamura.
Everyone seemed quite disturbed by this rather catastrophic start. Kuroo lowered his gaze; he needed to reassess his footholds to move efficiently in the sand. It took a few more minutes for him to get used to it, but he quickly regained his confidence. The rest of the players also had a period of adjustment; the first points were won on errors and unexpected tumbles, but soon they all managed to more or less master this new environment.
Kuroo was alert, managing to keep his cool to analyze the game. The alpha team received the ball, quickly passed it, and it reached Tsukishima who jumped to spike. The brunet reacted quickly and followed his movement, seeing him turn his gaze. He couldn't help but smile as he easily calculated the trajectory and stopped the ball from crossing the net.
"Point for the omega team, 12 to 8," announced Akaashi.
Kuroo smiled to himself. Turning his eyes, he found the blond still staring at him.
"What?"
Tsukki grimaced, a strange mix of his usual nonchalance and... fear?
"You're freaking me out with that smile."
"How?"
Kuroo flashed the same smile as before, which he knew was a tad demonic.
"That one, there."
"Am I intimidating you, beanpole?"
Tsukki rolled his eyes.
"I don't know why you call me that; we're practically the same height."
"I didn't say I wasn't a beanpole myself."
"You..."
They both fell silent. The ball had passed just beside them and crashed behind Kuroo. Turning his head, the brunet found Hinata's gaze, who cheerfully waved at him.
"Ji!" Kenma grumbled.
"Sorry !" he shouted.
Oikawa served, and the ball came towards them at an incredible speed. Just as Kuroo thought he was going to lose the point, he heard someone yell behind him "Rolling thunder!" Nishinoya received the serve before rolling in the sand. Azumane retrieved the ball, which was intercepted by Kenma, who then passed it to Bokuto. He saw Tsukishima move quickly to block the attack, but Bokuto managed to spike between the block that had risen in front of him. The ball crashed on the other side of the net without being intercepted.
"Point goes to the omegas, 13 to 9."
"Did you see that, Keiji!" Kōtarō yelled.
"Yes, I saw," his mate replied with a smile.
Bokuto stepped out of the court to squat in front of him, starting to babble happily. Kenma sighed and went to grab him by the collar of his T-shirt. Bokuto allowed it but managed to plant a kiss on Akaashi's cheek before being dragged back onto the court.
The game resumed.
For the moment, his team had the advantage. The opposing team had good players, but they were still too disorganized to be effective. On their side, they managed to synchronize quickly and operate effectively. They won the first set 25 to 23. The second set began, and they had a little more trouble standing out this time; the alpha team had managed to organize themselves, and their strategy was paying off.
Unless... Kuroo had seen Kageyama send the ball to his mate several times with improbable trajectories that the redhead couldn't intercept, giving them the advantage, but he struggled to understand what they were plotting. They eventually stopped, and their game synchronized again. His team won the second set, much more laboriously this time, but they still had enough energy to continue on this momentum.
"Hey, ref, neutrality!" Bokuto complained.
Kuroo glanced around, realizing that Bokuto was talking about Sawamura, who was deep in conversation with his mate. From their respective expressions, it was clear they were discussing strategy. Daichi offered no defense and returned to sit next to Akaashi. Sugawara signaled for his teammates to join him, and they conversed until the game resumed. Their quiet discussions had paid off; they managed to gain the upper hand halfway through the set, and the gap gradually widened. It was 24-23 for the alpha team. 25-24. Kuroo got back into position; if they lost this point, the alpha team would win the set, and they'd be headed for a fourth one. At this rate, he wasn't sure if they could seize the advantage afterward; running and moving in the sand was exhausting. The wind was picking up, and although Kuroo was pleasantly surprised to find that he hadn't lost all of his old reflexes, his stamina was far less impressive than when he was younger. In his peripheral vision, he saw Hinata jumping, out of sync with the rest of his team. The height of his jump was impressive, especially considering he didn't have a stable footing in the sand. Kageyama received the ball and managed to send it with incredible precision right to the attack point. Hinata hit the ball, which crashed down on the other side of the net without them being able to do anything about it.
"26-24, the set goes to the alpha team."
A cry of victory escaped their opponents. Hinata, radiant, jumped around before throwing himself onto his mate.
Kuroo turned to his teammates. They all caught his gaze, and he felt their motivation was shared: they were going to win this final set. They changed sides, taking advantage of it to refine their strategy. Kuroo noticed the weaknesses he had observed in the opposing team, suggesting what could be done to use them to their advantage. Everyone listened attentively, nodding or adding their observations. They repositioned themselves and stood ready to start again.
The game resumed nervously; the alpha team was fired up, and his teammates were starting to tire, which only widened the gap between the two teams.
Oikawa stepped up to serve. He was in the back with Kenma; the previous rotations had already disrupted their game. They prepared to receive, but the ball didn't reach them; it got caught in the net. Oikawa vaguely apologized to his team, and they had to rotate. Bokuto ended up behind the attack line with them. Kuroo frowned, concerned about the current position, which wasn't really to their advantage. That was until his teammates' talent (and his own, but he didn't want to brag too much) came into play. Bokuto even managed to score from his position. They managed to take the upper hand and found a position that suited them all. They eventually turned the tide and took the lead. They were now on the verge of victory. The alpha team, perhaps destabilized, returned the ball with disproportionate strength.
"It's out."
And indeed, it was.
Match point. They were all ready to fight it out, to give everything they had until their legs gave out. The tension was palpable. The ball was put back into play, and Kuroo saw out of the corner of his eye the rest of his team getting into position. The alpha team was also ready to turn the game around, to seize the last chance they had! They received the serve without trouble, Kenma got the ball, and... made a tip shot. The ball barely crossed the net and fell softly on the other side. The other eleven players looked at it, there, on the sand, deeply bewildered.
"Um..." Daichi began.
"The point goes to the omega team, 28-26. The omega team wins."
Silence hung for a few more seconds before a victorious cry escaped them. They all threw themselves at each other, celebrating their victory. Kenma managed to escape in time to avoid being caught in the hug.
"I can't believe we lost on a tip !" Oikawa said, dejected.
Kenma shrugged. They had indeed won their last set in an unimpressive manner, but they won nonetheless. Hinata passed under the net to rush toward Kenma, starting to sign rapidly.
"He says he's glad to have played and... he can't wait to do it again," translated Kageyama, who had followed his mate.
"I think he got that," Kuroo remarked.
The other two hadn't even listened to Kageyama, continuing their discussion without paying attention to him.
"That was for you."
The brunet turned and walked away. Kuroo remained speechless, unable to interpret what had just happened. He snapped out of it when Bokuto jumped on his back, shouting with joy.
"Wow, that was insane! I haven't had that much fun in ages!"
"Me neither."
"Keiji!" Kōtarō shouted, a little too close from his ears to his comfort.
Their boyfriend got up to meet them.
"That was amazing, right?"
The brunet gave a tender smile.
"Yes."
"It sucks though that you couldn't play, like in high school."
"I would have been on the opposing team anyway."
"Oh yeah... And see? I didn't even sulk!"
"Well done."
"Sulk?"
"Yeah... Kōtarō had the habit of throwing tantrums during the game, and..."
"And he played like shit until we comforted him," Kenma finished, joining them.
"Hey!"
"Therapy pays off, apparently," Kenma muttered.
Kōtarō didn't seem to appreciate the comment.
"I was joking," Kenma added, moving closer to them to kiss Kōtarō.
Bokuto got off his back to hug his mate.
"All right! Losers pay for the drinks!" Nishinoya yelled.
They all shouted like mighty Vikings ready to conquer their enemy.
Kuroo smiled to himself and followed the rest of his friends.
-/-
Kuroo woke up the next day feeling sorry for himself. Sure, he had had a great evening the day before, but he may have once again overindulged in drinking. He made the mistake of only eating a slice of pizza, which did nothing to stabilize his state of inebriation or the functioning of his organs. His liver was in agony, his stomach churned, and his kidneys were ready to shut down. He found a bit of solace when he opened his eyes and saw Kōtarō asleep on his chest. He closed his eyes again and ran a hand through his lover's hair. Upon further analysis, he felt a weight against his right side. Lately, he had gotten used to waking up in a tangle of arms and legs, nothing alarming so far. Kenma, perhaps? He moved his hand around. Feeling a head, he ran his hand through long hair to caress it. He heard purring and smiled. However, something was off... The texture of the hair, the body shape, the scent, the sound of the purring... Kuroo stopped and opened his eyes again.
"Yamaguchi?"
What was he doing here? The latter grunted, still half asleep.
"Keep going," he commanded.
Though unsettled, Kuroo complied. Cuddle pack? He glanced around: everyone in the room was sound asleep in their futon. So, no pack cuddle.
"What are you doing here?" the brunet finally asked him.
"I'm sleeping, shut up."
Okay...
"I said shut up, not stop!"
Kuroo had to resume his petting as if dealing with a grumpy big cat.
"I was talking with Bokuto, and we fell asleep."
"On me?"
"Yeah."
God, how drunk was he exactly? He could even remember falling asleep.
"Okay."
Silence fell.
"Did you and Tsukki fight?"
"No."
He sighed.
"Well, kind of. Nothing serious, he pisses me off."
"Okay."
They both fell silent.
As he was about to speak again, Kōtarō moved. He opened one eye, then the other. He smiled at Kuroo, still disoriented from sleep.
"Hey," he whispered.
"Hey," the brunet replied.
Kōtarō sat up to kiss him and lay back down on him. He eventually met Yamaguchi's gaze.
"Oh! You're still here! Hey!"
"Hey."
"Feeling better?"
Yamaguchi just nodded. Bokuto smiled at him. Yamaguchi said nothing and buried his head between Kuroo's side and his futon, emitting guttural rumblings close to growling, but too strange to be named as such, which made the other two laugh.
"Food!"
Kōtarō immediately sat up, crushing his boyfriend's lungs in the process, and rushed out of the room. It took Tetsurō some time to recover from it. Once he caught his breath, he detached himself from Yamaguchi to get up.
"Coming?" he asked the younger one.
He responded with a nod, and Kuroo offered him a hand to help him up.
They made their way to the kitchen: no one was there. They realized the voices were coming from outside and went through the door. There, they found Sugawara, Sawamura, Iwaizumi, and Bokuto seated at the wooden table. They greeted each other, and Kuroo sat down next to his boyfriend.
"Coffee?" Sugawara offered, holding a coffee pot.
He nodded and gratefully accepted the sacred brew. The other four resumed their conversation, and Kuroo joined in. Yamaguchi, sitting across from him, remained silent.
"I need to run some errands. I was thinking of getting stuff for a barbecue tonight," Sugawara said after a while.
"Good idea, but isn't it a bit early for that?"
"It's eleven o'clock, Kuroo."
"Oh..."
Kuroo, Bokuto, and Yamaguchi volunteered to go with him. Once they were all ready, they left together and drove to the nearest shopping mall.
"Go ahead, I'll join you," Sugawara said once inside, "I need to stop by the pharmacy, I'm almost out of suppressants."
They nodded and Suga left.
"Oh wait, I'll go grab a cart," Yamaguchi said, "I'll meet you there."
And one less person.
"Let's race!" Bokuto exclaimed before darting off at full speed.
Well, looks like it was just him then. And even for the love of all the stars above, he wasn't going to run.
"Kōtarō, wait!"
The latter, already far away, turned around but didn't stop running. As expected, he eventually ran into someone. Kuroo rolled his eyes but couldn't help but laugh.
He saw Kōtarō apologize to the person he had bumped into. However, his apologies didn't seem to please the individual in question. He couldn't see his boyfriend's face, but he noticed his posture change. Even from this distance, he saw his limbs stiffen. Something was wrong. Worried, he ran in his direction. Once he reached him, he indeed found that his concern was not unwarranted: Bokuto had his head down, in a posture more indicative of submission than politeness. He was petrified, his hands trembling.
Alarmed, Kuroo took his arm:
"Kō?"
"Who, I see ! Getting yourself fucked by a beta, uh? You're pathetic. Not surprising, look at yourself, no wonder no alpha wants to breed you."
I beg your fucking pardon?
He turned his eyes in the direction of the person facing them. He wasn't much taller than him, but he had the build of a dining room dresser, and his hostile, dominant posture gave him an aura of danger. His deep onyx eyes burned with spiteful contempt, repulsed by what stood before him.
Kuroo was so stunned by the violence of his words that it took him some time to react.
"Whoa dude, what's your problem..."
"I'm not talking to you, shut the fuck up."
Excuse me? This guy seriously had the audacity to... Just as Kuroo was about to confront him, ready to start a fight with a belligerent alpha in the middle of a shopping mall, he was cut off: Yamaguchi had just grabbed him by the arm to prevent him from initiating anything.
"Well, well, well, who do I spy with my little eye," he said with an overly sweet tone. "Keisuke, still a little bitch I see? What are you doing out of the territory without your babysitter?"
"Tadashi," his counterpart growled.
"Is it not finding any omega willing to take you that made you so stupid? Not that it was better before, but I think we've hit rock bottom now."
As Yamaguchi was about to continue, the alpha in front of him intervened:
"Shut up and look down!"
His voice thundered, and Kuroo shivered. He saw Yamaguchi stiffen. Without being able to offer any resistance, he obeyed: he fell silent and lowered his head. The alpha in front of him seemed to be satisfied, a twisted smile forming on his lips. Kuroo too was unable to react, not really understanding what was happening. He saw Bokuto take advantage of the diversion to run away.
"Good to see commands still work on you. Not so proud now, are we? You can tell whatever you want, I know what you really are, you filthy piece of shit. Do us all a favor and just jump off a bridge already."
This time Kuroo was really going to give him a piece of his mind!
"Keisuke."
Sugawara had intervened. He stood tall, his face stern. His aura had metamorphosed: it was heavy, imposing, almost chilling. Kuroo stepped back. He saw Yamaguchi finally raise his eyes and step back to stand behind the prima, next to Bokuto.
The alpha raised an eyebrow, and looked at Bokuto, still standing behind Sugawara.
"Oh, boohoo, crying to your mama, are we? That sorry excuse of a prima, disgusting."
He let his head sway nonchalantly, glaring at the silver-haired, his eyes lit with contempt.
Sugawara said nothing, just maintaining eye contact.
"I see you're still as pitiful as ever. Luckily the clan got rid of you..."
"I left of my own accord," Sugawara interrupted with a low, thundery voice.
Keisuke raised an eyebrow.
"They would have done it anyway, no one would have wanted a failure like you as a leader. Tell me, do you still get fucked by betas? Fucking disgrace..."
"Leave," Sugawara intervened.
His voice thundered, deep, cold, imperious. Its resonance made Kuroo shiver. The alpha in front of him maintained eye contact. Sugawara didn't flinch, and his aura became increasingly imposing. He saw Bokuto and Yamaguchi eventually lower their eyes.
Sugawara stood firm, unshakable.
"Leave," he repeated.
Keisuke couldn't maintain eye contact any longer. He let out a grunt but still lowered his eyes. He finally turned around and left. Sugawara remained motionless, still in a defensive stance, until the alpha disappeared completely from his field of vision. Kuroo felt his aura lighten, and his features softened. He let out a sigh and turned to Bokuto and Yamaguchi:
"Are you both okay?"
They nodded.
"Who was that jerk?" asked Kuroo.
"Technically... our brother," Sugawara replied.
Kuroo's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"Woah, great family!"
"Isn't it? "
"Kōshi, I want to go home."
Yamaguchi had spoken in a whisper, his gaze fixed on the ground.
Sugawara's face fell a little more.
"Okay," he whispered.
They headed back towards, not really in the mood for grocery shopping anymore.
Kuroo moved closer to his boyfriend to whisper to him:
"Are you okay?"
Bokuto met his gaze. He tried to smile, but Kuroo wasn't fooled. He could see that he was pretty shaken off. Kuroo was about to speak when Bokuto's phone rang:
"I'm fine," he said directly as he answered. "Yes... I'm with Tetsurō, Yamaguchi, and Sugawara... I'll explain when we get back."
He hung up and put the phone back in his pocket.
"Who was it?" asked the brunet.
"Kenma and Keiji, they wanted to know if I was okay."
"How did they know?"
Bokuto continued walking without looking at him. He placed his hand on his chest and replied:
"They felt it."
Oh... Yes, they were bonded after all.
They all remained silent until they got back into the car. They resumed the journey. No one tried to break the silence. Yamaguchi was sitting in the front seat, his head resting on top of the glove compartment. Kuroo heard him trying to control his breathing, but it was getting quicker with every passing second.
"Suga, I think you should stop."
The latter met his gaze in the rearview mirror before lowering his eyes to Yamaguchi. He pulled off the road at the first opportunity. As soon as the car stopped, Yamaguchi opened his door and jumped out. Sugawara got out too, and he ran after him. Yamaguchi was pacing back and forth like a caged animal. As soon as Sugawara reached him, the younger one started screaming. They were too far away for Kuroo to hear what they were saying, but he didn't need to. Sugawara tried to reassure the younger one, approaching him gently to avoid startling him.
Kuroo understood that something had happened that he hadn't fully grasped. It wasn't hard to guess that the relationship between his two friends and their "brother" wasn't the most cordial, but there was something more. Kuroo turned to his boyfriend; he was looking out the window. His eyes, his features, everything betrayed the painful sympathy he felt for what Yamaguchi had just experienced.
"What happened?" murmured Kuroo.
Kōtarō turned his eyes to him.
"I'm not sure, the guy started insulting me..."
"What a jerk... "
"Yeah, but nothing new... You arrived and then Yamaguchi... I didn't think that..."
His speech was disjointed, memories still too foggy to piece together their narrative.
"I thought it would be fine... I didn't expect him to do that to him..."
Kuroo grabbed his boyfriend's hand.
"Do what to him?"
Bokuto met his gaze.
"It was a command."
"A command?"
"An alpha's command."
Tetsurō frowned. Kōtarō sighed.
"It's just... It's awful. It feels like your body... I don't know, like losing control of your own body. And you obey without being able to defend yourself and…"
He felt all his muscles tense up, the words getting lost in his throat, and he was unable to continue.
"Did he do that to you too?"
"No."
"Okay..."
"No, but even if the command wasn't directed at me, it shook me up."
Tetsurō pulled his boyfriend into a hug. He felt helpless in the face of what Kōtaro might be feeling, frustrated that he couldn't act as he should have. But it wasn't up to him to take up so much space. Not now. He felt Bokuto tighten his grip around him. "I love you," he murmured. "Me too," his lover replied. He felt his embrace loosen, and he let him go.
Kōtarō pulled away from him to slump in his seat, looking up at the ceiling.
"I didn't think it could work on another alpha..."
Kuroo frowned.
"Really?"
"You can force another alpha to submit, that's what Suga did. But for the command... I don't know."
Kōtarō didn't continue further. He looked up at the window. Kuroo did the same. Yamaguchi had stopped pacing, his anger had dissipated, and he had burst into tears. Sugawara was talking to him, but their voices were still too distant for them to understand what they were saying. The younger one collapsed. Tetsurō saw his face contorted with sorrow, with hatred too, with a painful acceptance. Yamaguchi squatted on the ground, and Sugawara did the same. Kuroo watched them. Maybe he shouldn't intervene, maybe it was better for him to stay out of it. But he didn't give a damn.
He opened the door and, without even taking the time to close it, rushed in their direction. He sat down next to Yamaguchi, and without a word, he hugged him. His friend's tears redoubled. Sugawara joined them.
The three of them turned their heads when they heard the car door slam shut. Kōtarō approached them. His gaze met Yamaguchi's. Something passed between them. Without a word being exchanged, they understood each other. They let go of Yamaguchi, who turned to the omega standing in front of him. Kōtarō's aura had changed; Tetsurō could feel it. He squatted in front of Yamaguchi, their gazes still locked.
Bokuto closed his eyes and approached the younger one, resting his forehead against his. The contact overwhelmed Yamaguchi, who let out another wave of tears. They had lost their corrosive nature; they were now just a heavy flood finally released. They stayed like that for a few seconds. Bokuto eventually broke the contact, but his eyes didn't leave him. Yamaguchi lowered his head:
"Thank you," he whispered.
They returned to the car and drove back to the resort. Tsukishima was the first one to notice their return. The moment his gaze found his mate's, he rushed towards him. Yamaguchi met him halfway. Keiji and Kenma noticed them too and came to meet them as well. They immediately hugged their mate, who returned their embrace. Akaashi detached himself from Bokuto to turn his gaze to Tetsurō. He took his hand in his and squeezed it tightly. Kōtarō told them what had happened, minimizing the events as much as possible to avoid worrying them.
Once the initial commotion passed, they regained their dynamic. The event, on the surface, was completely forgotten. They still managed to get what they needed for their barbecue in the evening. Their typical cheerful atmosphere returned, laughter erasing the last traces of lingering worry. At one point in the evening, Tsukishima came to find Kuroo, who had slipped away to the kitchen to grab more beers.
"Thank you."
"I couldn't do much, you know..."
His response annoyed the blond. Kuroo let out a smile:
"Don't mention it."
Tsukishima held his gaze for a few seconds before nodding.
"Babe, can you take..."
Bokuto fell silent upon noticing the blond. Their eyes met. They didn't need words to understand each other either. A smile played on Bokuto's lips, and he vaguely nodded. Tsukishima in front of him bowed to thank him, then they went back outside.
They left the next morning. Yamaguchi made the journey with them again. He sat next to Kōtarō. Kuroo watched them interact. The stay had allowed them to forge a tender bond, of a nature similar to the one that existed between Kenma and Hinata, strengthened by what they had experienced together.
Kuroo smiled to himself and turned his eyes to the road. The sea was gradually fading behind the horizon line. He watched it disappear, comforted by the thought that it was never far away.
Ebb-tide:
everything we stoop to collect
slips through our fingers ...
Kaga Chiyo-ni
-end of the chapter-
Next chapter "Hanabi"
Life was strange sometimes, even a little creepy. Oral myths, books, and now the internet were full of stories like that: a shadow lurking in a dark alley, a creaking noise in an empty house, the rustle of wind through a sinister forest. Japanese folklore, the same lore that shaped Tetsurō as he grew up, had fueled his imagination with strange creatures—Yokai and other mysterious entities. He wasn't usually one to believe in these ghostly tales, but now, those childhood stories were creeping back into his thoughts, as he faced an utterly surreal experience: he was alone on a subway platform. In Tokyo. Was that even possible?